Bound by freckles (Sebastian Sallow x Garreth Weasley x f!MC modern AU)

14th Chapter - Atmosphere

Sebastian took my hand and left the men's toilets, grinning confidently.A few students stood outside the toilets looking at us in disbelief, but Sebastian's look was obvious.

He pulled me outside where Garreth was already waiting for us.

"Did you take the first opportunity for a quickie?" he asked, unable to stifle a laugh.

"Not exactly, but something like that," Sebastian said, dropping to the grass.

"Are there things you've always wanted to do but you've never dared?" asked Sebastian, starting to take a bite from a bar of chocolate before handing it to Garreth.

"Caelie and I wanted to pierce our noses once in seventh grade, but my mum said if we did it, she'd rip it out with her own hands," Garreth said, laughing a little. I could very well remember this overly loud and emotional discussion in the Weasley house.

"I suppose your mum is strict?" "Sort of, more or less, yeah. At least she's a lot more inhibited than I am. My dad is also much more relaxed. I don't know how those two found each other." "Would you guys be up for catching up? After all, you live on the other side of the British Isles now." "If my mum sees this in pictures, she's going to be furious." "Will she get in the car for ten hours and drive to Inverness?" "Maybe." "Then we'll just live at my flat now." said Sebastian, making himself laugh, "No, but seriously, if you're up for it, let's catch up. My tattoo artist also pierces quite well, and I get almost everything for free... and no, I didn't have anything with him. But he's an old drinking buddy."

"So I'm in. My parents don't mind either though," I interjected. "I'm in too. Can someone pre-order my gravestone already?" asked Garreth with a laugh. "Why don't you just make it in the septum and rotate it in when your parents come to visit?" " Rotate it in?" "Yes, if you take an open ring, you can turn it inwards and then no one will see it." "Okay, I don't know, you guys just decide."

"I guess we'll have a date later then." "But I was going to cook today?" "Yeah, you can. The guy makes home visits. I got my big tattoo on my sofa."

"But Seb, how did you come up with that now, anyway?" "I just want to know more about you. Preferably everything, but answers like that just usually give a deeper insight than 'How are you?'" "What is it with you?" "Driving. But that's out of the question." "Why not?" asked Garreth, a little irritated. I looked at Sebastian, worried that he might not be able to handle this very direct question.

"You know how my parents died, don't you?" "Yes." "I haven't been in a car since then. Not only not a car, but not a motocycle, not a moped, not a bus." "Do you want to learn? So at least to go for a ride?" "No." "But what can you drive in?" "Train." "Oh. That sounds annoying." "It is, but I never have to get out of Inverness, so it is okay. I can reach everything here on foot, or if I'm ever in a real hurry, on my bike."

"But aren't you going to accompany us?" "Where to?" "Well, to Devon for Christmas?" "Even apart from the driving issue, I can't. Because of Anne. I thought your parents were coming here." 

"All my family are meeting up in Devon. Aunt Matilda and I are the only ones who live that far away." "What about you, Caelie? Your family are from here, aren't they? Do your parents come here at least?"

"Sorry, but my grandparents always go south too," I said quietly as Sebastian's expression changed from pleased to depressed.

"But why don't you come with us? Anne can come too. Our mums are both nurses." "No sorry, that won't work. Firstly, we can't get Anne to England by train and secondly, she's not allowed to leave the hospital because of the risk of infection. But that's all right, it's not your fault," Sebastian said and gave us a small smile. But it wasn't a genuine smile, which was noticeable not only to me but also to Garreth.